AMTK 29 and AMTK 14 leads the California Zephyr as it crosses the grade crossing at Crescent. AMTK 29 was on the Winter Park Express just last Sunday. It was taken to Chicago on the Zephyr, and has now returned as one of the units on the Zephyr itself.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
The westbound California Zephyr, running right on time, heads west on the main track at Crescent. The siding at Crescent is only 5,550 feet long, so it definitely one of the less-used sidings on the east slope of the Moffat. No meets this morning for the Zephyr as it has a straight shot west up to the Moffat Tunnel.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
BNSF pretty consistently runs oil trains in a 3x(0)x3 configuration on the Moffat, and this train is no example. A trio of units bring up the rear of the train as it rolls east out the east end of Crescent. In the distance, you can just spy the plains through Elderado Canyon.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
Second out on this eastbound BNSF oil load is a Kansas City Southern de Mexico ES44AC. BNSF seems to lease KCS and KCSM units somewhat often as it is not super uncommon to catch one of these guys on a BNSF train in Colorado.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
An loaded BNSF oil train crosses the grade crossing at Crescent, rolling eastbound on the main. The train will meet a westbound oil empty at Plain. The westbound is actually already at Plain, awaiting the arrival of this eastbound.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
There is no train in the shot, but the shot was taken from a train! We are looking northeast over some low-hanging clouds. Just one example of the incredible views to be had from riding any passenger train through the Rockies.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
You can peek out onto the plains at the area around Interlocken near the Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport as a westbound oil train comes around the curve west of the grade crossing at Crescent.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
While there is no train in this shot, I thought it was a pretty cool overview of Crescent. It is kind of difficult to tell from the ground that the siding is really built on a (near) 180° curve. In the top-left quadrant of the shot, you can see the west portal of Tunnel 18. Where the tracks disappear on the right side of the shot is Tunnel 19.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
Passengers on the Zephyr, and on the private car Bella Vista, can look out and observe major construction project on the Gross Reservoir dam. The dam is being raised by nearly 200 feet, and will triple the capacity of the reservoir. The reservoir is one of the primary sources of drinking water for Denver.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
The Rocky Mountaineer's "Rockies to the Red Rocks" is generally considered to be a summer/fall train. However, on April 19th, an eastbound test of the Mountaineer heads east through a winter wonderland at Crescent.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
Wrapping around the near-180° curve at the west end of Crescent, the eastbound Rocky Mountaineer is headed back to Denver on a test run before the revenue season starts next Wednesday.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
AMTK 138 and AMTK 82 lead the westbound Zephyr around the curve on the main near the west end of Crescent. The Phase 7 paint on the units really pop against the white wintery scene in the third week of April.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
These mornings are some of my favorite around the front range of the Rockies. Not enough snow to make traveling difficult, but enough to give a fantastic coating on the ground and in the trees. The Zephyr rolls west on the main at Crescent, horn blowing for the approaching grade crossing.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
The clouds are hanging low near the tracks as the Zephyr heads west on the main track at Crescent amidst a winter wonderland in April.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
A UP track inspector sits in his hyrailer on the siding at Crescent, keeping an eye (for a roll by) on the Zephyr as it rolls west on the main. The inspector will be requesting track and time out the west end of Crescent to follow the Zephyr up the hill toward the Moffat Tunnel.
Email Questions or Comments to the Webmaster
or add a comment to the picture.
